


Seasons

by ICantBreathe



Category: The Walking Dead (Telltale Video Game)
Genre: Abuse, Adorable Clem, Alternate Universe, Blood and Gore, Dark Clem, Eventual Fluff, F/F, F/M, Family Fluff, Hurt/Comfort, Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder - PTSD, Trauma, War
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-09-04
Updated: 2020-09-04
Packaged: 2021-03-06 17:01:19
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,888
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/26282332
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ICantBreathe/pseuds/ICantBreathe
Summary: Clementine embarks on a journey through Season 4 of The Walking Dead; however, no longer with the company of her beloved AJ, but instead...three other Clementines? Though the separation from her more or less son is tragic, would she be able to get him back with the help of...well, her multiple selves? Or would they drag her down as a constant reminder of her past traumas?
Relationships: AJ | Alvin Jr. & Clementine (Walking Dead), Clementine/Louis (Walking Dead: Done Running), Clementine/Violet (Walking Dead: Done Running)
Comments: 5
Kudos: 17





	Seasons

**Author's Note:**

> Hi lol,  
> Just to clarify some things:  
> -Each Clementine is their own being/person, not just entity in her mind  
> -I'll refer to each Clementine as "Clementine(Season #)  
> -I'm going with the save and stay with Kenny ending and save Lilly routes  
> Hope y'all enjoy!  
> Song for this chapter: 6LACK - Seasons ft. Khalid

Strong winds blew through Clementine(4)’s hair, to which she instinctively lifted an arm up to tuck her short hair behind her ear. The sun was starting to appear from the horizon, radiating onto Clementine(4)’s cheek bringing her slight warmth she had been craving for since the chilly night before. The long road ahead tempted her to speed up; however, the memory of losing control and killing Kenny haunted her, and she resigned to keeping the car in fourth gear. She touched the scar on her forehead in remembrance. 

Over the loud humming rubber along the rough concrete, Clementine(4) made out the soft snores coming from her right. Taking a glance at her right, she made out Clementine(3) in a light nap, hat pulled over her eyes. Clementine(3) had insisted she drove but was ultimately defeated by Clementine(4) in a somewhat heated argument, ending with Clementine(4) accusing the former of how she had caused Kenny’s death. Before she could take back the blatant lie, Clementine(3) had yelled an angry “fucking fine,” huffed, and avoided eye contact in fear of showing her guilt. Clementine(4) frowned in sorrow as she noted Clementine(3)’s brow furrow in her sleep, fearing that she caused another bad dream. 

A sound behind her startled her, but she soon relaxed as she made out a soft yawn and a strained sigh. Adjusting her rearview mirror, Clementine(4) noted Clementine(2) stirring under the young daylight before giving herself a quick stretch and fixing the cap on her head with a still sleeping Clementine(1) curled up on her lap. Looking up and noticing Clementine(4)’s soft stare, she gave a big smile, exclaiming, “Clem!”

Almost immediately, Clementine(3) jerked up from her doze and looked around wildly. Clementine(2) reached and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder. Still bug-eyed, Clementine(3), flinched, shaking off Clementine(2) hand violently before relaxing. Clementine(2) gave Clementine(4) a worried look, who mirrored her expression. 

“Hey, you alright?” Clementine(4) asked.

Clementine(3), still breathing hard, scoffed accusingly. 

“Please, talk to me.” Clementine(4) implored. 

“Fuck off,” she replied weakly, her voice cracking on the last syllable as she raised a trembling hand to fix her cap.

Clementine(4) decided it was best to leave her alone as she wasn’t making any progress. She had felt the same way after she couldn’t save AJ from the raiders at McCarroll Ranch. She had shrugged off any care or help from everyone and was extremely hot-tempered for weeks. She had come back empty-handed after all.

Δ

An explosion woke both Clementine(4) and Clementine(3) as they jumped to their feet. Clementine(4) rushed to calm down their whining horse while Clementine(3) stared at the burst of flames, noting it in the direction they originally were headed, the ranch AJ was.  
“Holy shit,” she whispered.

Clementine(4), who was already on the horse, yelled back, “Come on!” 

Immediately sprung into action, Clementine(3) snatched her bag she had used as a pillow off the ground, grabbed Clementine(4)’s extended arm, pulling herself up, and wrapped an arm around her torso to steady herself. With a kick of Clementine(4)’s boot, the horse kicked its two front legs up neighing, before sprinting toward the direction of the explosion. 

It was dark and cold, and if it wasn't for the smoke and slight glow of orange above the horizon, Clementine(4) wouldn’t have been able to figure out the direction of the ranch in the darkness. After a few minutes, they made out faint gunshots. Clementine(4) immediately slowed the horse down to a creep, silently thanking whatever god that Clementine(2) and Clementine(1) were safe back in Richmond.

“Get down,” Clementine(3) whispered, pulling her pistol out of the holster with one hand and lowering her center of gravity. Clementine(4) snapped from her thoughts and mimicked her posture. Both of them held their breaths, their heads jerking toward every sound other than the hooves of the horse against dirt and faint growls of walkers deeper in the woods. Finally, they found a trail leading to the explosion. Clementine(4) could feel Clementine(3)’s grip tighten as the heat radiating from ahead grew. Even the horse seemed to tense, constantly jerking its head in the opposite direction and letting out a low groan in hopes that its riders would listen. Unfortunately, both Clementine(4) and Clementine(3) were dead set on retrieving AJ. 

“AJ, I’m coming,” Clementine(4) said shakily, her shaky hands unintentionally tightening the rein, raising the speed of the horse to a casual trot. 

Finally, they were close enough to hear the cracking of flames eating away at wood and see their surroundings clearly. The trail in front of them curved to the right where a burning sign read, “The McCarroll Ranch.” Looking further ahead, Clementine(4) made out an old bridge that lay way to a large, burning building. 

Clementine(4)’s eye widened immediately and she cried, “AJ!”

As if recognizing the gesture, the horse broke into a sprint. However, they failed to notice an armed, injured man lying on the edge of the bridge. But before he could muster the strength to raise his gun and pull the trigger, a bullet found a way into his neck and the pain forced him to drop his gun. The barrel of her pistol still smoking, Clementine(3) yelled, “Clem, wait!”

Clementine(4) halted the horse as Clementine(3) jumped off, pressing a foot to the man’s neck. 

“Where are the children, asshole?”

Unable to physically reply, the man used his remaining strength to flip her off. White hot rage clouded Clementine(3)’s judgement. She raised an arm and started to bash his brains in with the end of the handle of her gun, yelling with each strike. Even Clementine(4)’s stomach turned at the gruesome scene before her, though she would be lying if she didn’t feel the same rage. 

“Come on. We need to go now!”

Clementine(3) hopped on back as the horse took off in another sprint forward. Once inside, they were met with a three-way split. Hearing gunshots and shouting to their right, Clementine(4) steered the horse to the left, continuing down the path until she crashed into a car. Unable to keep moving by horse, Clementine(4) hopped down the horse and squeezed past the car, commanding Clementine(3) to stay by the horse and running off despite the latter’s protests. 

Clementine(4) was met with a two-way split; however, decided it was best to enter the closest room to hopefully get some information. Her hopes grew as she saw bunk beds appear from the smoke leading up to the room. Drawing her pistol, she entered to find herself alone in what appeared to be a nursery. 

“Fuck,” she swore under her breathe, panic flooding her chest. ‘He’s ok. He’s ok. Keep moving forward,’ she thought to herself and took a few shaky breaths.

A tiny whimper stopped her in her tracks. AJ!

Before she could identify where the sound had come from, she heard hard footsteps pounding in her direction. Not wanting to risk finding herself against multiple bandits, she hid under a crib. Instead of bandits, Clementine(4) found herself staring at the boots of a woman, racing toward what Clementine(4) remembered was the lockers. Over heaving breaths, she heard the woman mutter, “Sorry...sorry…so sorry. Don’t worry. We are leaving soon.”

Clementine(4) strained her head out from under the crib to see what the source of the soft crying was. As if to answer the question, the woman pulled out a key from her jacket pocket and opened the top left locker. Clementine(4) had to bite her tongue to prevent a loud sigh of relief from exiting her mouth. She’d be able to recognize that long, messy afro anywhere. AJ was alive!

The feeling of joy didn’t last as gunshots that came from the opposite direction she came from grew louder. The woman must have heard it too, as she was now rushing to gather her belongings with AJ whimpering in the open locker. Suddenly, the door swung open.

Like a turtle, Clementine(4)’s head shot straight back under her shell that was the crib. The gunshots that came immediately after threatened to deafen her. She could just make out the screams of AJ from the ringing in her ears. The woman’s body slumped onto the floor. Clementine(4) almost screamed as the lifeless eyes of the dead blonde faced her, blood pumping out from the gunshots in her cheek and chest at an alarming rate. 

Two pairs of boots made their way toward the toddler, one of them picking up a now flailing AJ, eliminating Clementine(4)’s option of taking them out with her gun in fear of hurting AJ. The ringing in her ears returned as an explosion sounded outside. She didn’t realize how hot it was until a bead of sweat from her forehead and blurred her already limited vision. 

“Get him the fuck out of here. NOW!” a gruff voice yelled. 

“Yes sir,” Clementine(4) saw one of the pairs of boots sprinting back where they came from with a still screaming AJ in his hands. 

“No! AJ!” Clementine(4) cried, rolled out from under the crib prepared to shoot at the bandit, but froze at the sight of a lit molotov cocktail in his hand. Her hesitation gave the man leeway to toss the bottle in her direction and run out of the room, leaving Clementine(4) to burn. She scrambled up to her feet just in time to move out of the way of the projectile, but the explosion from the impact of the molotov cocktail on the crib she was just under moments ago blew her forward into the wall beside the doorway, hitting her head hard. 

Her head throbbed as she tried to get back onto her feet. The toll of the heat and lack of oxygen was starting to show as her vision began to fade into darkness. 

“Don’t…” Clementine(4) whispered. “Don’t take him…”

Just before she succumbed to unconsciousness, Clementine(4) caught a glimpse of a pair of familiar boots. She felt a numbed pressure on her back and legs as she was being carried before her eyes closed. 

She had woken up in the backseat of a car to the sniffles of a red-eyed Clementine(3).

Δ

Besides the quiet hum of the engine, the cabin was silent. Well, mostly. An occasional snap-roll-snap could be heard from the backseat as Clementine(2) resorted to toying with her gun. Clementine(4) bit her lip, wanting to snap at Clementine(2), but also wanting to keep the silence that seemed to heal the tensions from their previous incident like a cast. Clementine(3) had pushed herself as close to the windows as possible with her arms wrapped around her knees, curling in on herself. Clementine(1) was absentmindedly staring out the window and hugging the loose seatbelt straps around her shoulders.

Clementine(4) gave a heavy sigh and turned to continued staring down the road, hoping it was their long road home.

**Author's Note:**

> I'm not too sure where this is gonna go in the future, but I can't stop reading TWDG fanfics rn. I'll try to get the next chapter out soon. Comments and critics are always welcome.


End file.
